rencounter
Americannoun
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a hostile meeting; battle.
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a contest of any kind.
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a casual meeting.
verb (used with or without object)
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to encounter casually.
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Obsolete. to meet hostilely.
noun
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an unexpected meeting
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a hostile clash, as of two armies, adversaries, etc; skirmish
verb
Etymology
Origin of rencounter
From the Middle French word rencontrer, dating back to 1495–1505. See re-, encounter
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Guy Fawkes lingered for a moment, doubting whether he should mention his rencounter with Humphrey Chetham.
From Guy Fawkes or The Gunpowder Treason by Ainsworth, William Harrison
Your friendship for my mother, I am well assured, will induce you to acquaint her with this rencounter: I do not wish it to be concealed.
From The Mysterious Wanderer, Vol. I by Reeve, Sophia
Continuing onward, and hardly recovered from my astonishment at the rencounter with the coyotes, when up bounded, within thirty yards, three large deer, and with the coolest impudence stared me full in the face.
From Los Gringos Or, An Inside View of Mexico and California, with Wanderings in Peru, Chili, and Polynesia by Wise, H. A. (Henry Augustus)
I cannot helpe smiling, whenever I think of my rencounter with William this morning.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, No. 12, May, 1851. by Various
Between these two vessels an unfortunate and silly rencounter followed.
From The Naval History of the United States Volume 2 by Jackson, W. C.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
